SHARP HOME

Thursday, 26 July 2012

Making a list...

In this
increasingly digital age, we are prepared to back up records of our electronic
information easily and readily, but we often forget to do the same for our
tangible goods. Why keep records of your possessions? Because if theft or
damage occurs, you will simplify your life a great deal by knowing what it is
exactly that you have lost. For one thing, it will help you to settle your
insurance claim more quickly, and will help you to replace your goods with
minimal disruption to your routine. More than half of Canadians do not maintain
inventories of their goods which puts them at risk for inadequate home
insurance if they should find themselves facing large scale loss. Here’s how to
make sure you don’t fall into that wrong half.

Start simply:
set up a table where you can list the various items you have, and make columns
for various details that you would like to record (for example: descriptions,
brands, model numbers, serial numbers, date and place of purchase). Store a
hard copy of your list in a folder along with relevant receipts, appraisals,
and any other type of paperwork you may have. You may also find it useful to
photograph the items as you catalogue them.

The biggest
mistake you can make with tackling a home inventory is to adopt an attitude of
passive perfectionism (“if I can’t do a perfect job of it, I won’t do it at
all). Putting together a complete inventory for a large household can be very
intimidating…but a partial list is far better than no list at all. If it makes
things easier, work backwards: start by recording recent purchases, which you
can still recall relatively well, and work your way back as far as you can
remember. As you move back towards earlier purchases, keep in mind that items
like antiques and coins are likely worth more now than they were when you first
acquired them, so consider getting them appraised. You may also want to verify
with your insurance agent that your plan covers loss and damage to these items.

Once you have
completed your inventory, make sure your hard work is protected by properly
storing your lists. Leave hard copies with relatives or friends, and keep
digital records close at hand as well.

As you go about
completing your inventory, try not to be overwhelmed by the enormity of the
task. If you commit to recording a few items every day, you will have a fairly
accurate list in no time.